


The Hard Part

by human_nature (AllyHR)



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio), Doctor Who (TV Movie 1996)
Genre: Community: who_contest, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:02:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22549765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllyHR/pseuds/human_nature
Summary: ...Is saying goodbye.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7
Collections: Who Contest Stories and Archive





	The Hard Part

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Drabble challenge at who_contest. Challenge is By/ Bye.
> 
> Takes place two years after the TV movie. 
> 
> Enjoy!

The time on the television read seven forty-five p.m. as Dr. Grace Holloway, clad in pajamas, settled in for the night. It had been an exceptional day at the hospital.Thanks to “amazing Grace” , as her colleagues called her, a dear older lady would get to spend time with her grandchildren for many more years to come. But now Grace was tired and ready for a break. She got up from the sofa to get something to drink when suddenly…

_Tap-tap-tap-tap!_

Startled, Grace ran to the door of her apartment. What she saw next was surprising to say the least. A sleepy-eyed man stood in her doorway. His coat was battered, his hair was shorter, but she recognized his face instantly. 

‘Doctor?” asked Grace, still astounded, “Is it really you?”

“Hello Grace!” he greeted her warmly before surveying the apartment “It’s been...two years I think? You’ve got more furniture!” 

A dark-haired young woman dressed in black entered behind the Doctor. 

“Sorry if we’re interrupting,” she said. “Hi, I’m Liv.” 

Somewhat crowded on the sofa, the three talked for what felt like hours. Grace and Liv shared stories of particular patients they’d dealt with. Being a doctor herself (well, med-tech technically) ; the two women had quite a bit in common. Grace told the Doctor about her experiments. She’d kept a sample from that ordeal with the Master in hopes it might be some kind of clue to understanding regeneration. The Doctor talked about everything he’d been up to over the past years and told Grace about their friend Helen. At about twelve-thirty, the moment the Doctor had been dreading finally came. 

“So, I guess this is goodbye?” asked Grace.

“It doesn’t have to be. You could still come with us.” replied the Time Lord.

‘I’ll miss you.” Grace said softly as they embraced. It was hard to tell, but Liv thought she saw the Doctor plant a soft kiss on Grace’s cheek before they left.  
...

“Grace seemed nice.” noted Liv later when they were back aboard the TARDIS. 

The Doctor absentmindedly nodded while checking something on the console. Liv was going to go see if Helen was still engrossed in the library when she had a sudden thought.  
“Is it always that hard for you?” asked the med-tech, “Saying goodbye, I mean.” 

“Goodbyes are never easy, Liv” he answered, still with one eye on the console.

_Will it be that hard for you to say goodbye when we leave?_ Thought Liv as she made her way towards the library.


End file.
